Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $520 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $833 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $1,147 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 339% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Kolonnawa is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$4.09 LKR 1,370

285.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$24.71 LKR 8,280

156.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$8.12 LKR 2,721

28.69%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$2.76 LKR 923

5.43%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.00

$0.68 LKR 228

236.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.41 LKR 136

265.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$2.31 LKR 773

54.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$3.43 LKR 1,148

15.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.68 LKR 564

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.53 LKR 176

232.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$0.72 LKR 240

136.11%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$2.11 LKR 706

54.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$8.26 LKR 2,766

60.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$4.64 LKR 1,553

65.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$8.22 LKR 2,753

91.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$7.60 LKR 2,548

-70.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.12 LKR 375

48.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$5.82 LKR 1,949

-65.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.21 LKR 404

104.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.10 LKR 369

62.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.41 LKR 472

46.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.16 LKR 388

69.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.48 LKR 161

72.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$9.94 LKR 3,330

-34.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$10.28 LKR 3,443

-45.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.96 LKR 657

-32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$2.33 LKR 781

29.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$0.38 LKR 128

1013.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.33 LKR 110

157.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$0.61 LKR 204

2986.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.25 LKR 419

61.60%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K €30.5K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

31.23%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.6K €34.6K

$34.2K LKR 11.5M

15.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €129

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

150.14%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.52 €17.89

$4.25 LKR 1,423

382.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$15.11 LKR 5,062

161.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$10.22 LKR 3,426

371.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

$1.70 LKR 571

981.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$3.37 LKR 1,128

170.03%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$615 €536

$37.46 LKR 12.6K

1541.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$439 LKR 147.0K

3611.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$27.58 LKR 9,241

268.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$19.31 LKR 6,471

117.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$69.6 LKR 23.3K

32.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

217.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.45

-76.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $232 – making Kolonnawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 339% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $780 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,280 in Lisbon and $520 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $615 per month in Lisbon and $37.46 in Kolonnawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $520 versus $2,280 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kolonnawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.